Tag Archives: EVOLV

This post was sponsored by Omron. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

Did you know that May is Stroke Awareness Month? Are you doing anything in your daily routine to manage your risk factors for strokes? Do you know the signs of a stroke? Would you know what to do if someone you work with or a family member was having a stroke?

It’s May, so let’s take some time out of our busy schedules to ask these questions and learn the answers!

First of all, knowing your numbers can always be helpful, and that is why Omron Healthcare makes it so easy for you to monitor your blood pressure in the comfort of your own home with your EVOLV blood pressure monitor. Tracking your numbers in the app on your mobile device can help you monitor your health so you know if you need to make changes or see your doctor if the numbers are trending high or low versus your norm.

Here I am checking my blood pressure in my living room in my pajamas. If you look closely, the monitor display says “HELLO”!

By doing your part, remember you are supporting Omron’s mission of Going for Zero, which is the elimination of heart attack and stroke. This is why they are educating the public about the importance of prevention by regular monitoring of one’s blood pressure.

What are you doing in your daily routine to protect yourself against strokes? Below is an infographic that shows you what you can do daily to protect yourself.

I may not go out and exercise daily, but I try and get as many steps in as possible with the walking that I do at work. I also check my blood pressure regularly with my EVOLV blood pressure monitor. I haven’t measured lately, but I hope my body composition is healthy according to this infographic!! (Note to self: buy a measuring tape.) I am constantly managing my diabetes, as I pointed out in my last blog post, and that has been going well! I must admit that I am excited to practice #6…but only in moderation, as it says. lol. You do have to be careful about alcoholic beverages, especially when taking medications. My cardiologist has limited me to two drinks per day, but since becoming a diabetic, I don’t have much craving for alcohol so I rarely drink – maybe an occasional glass of red wine at social functions or with dinner on the weekends.

Do you know the signs of a stroke and what to do if someone around you is having one? Four very important letters to know are F.A.S.T.! Below is an infographic that explains these letters and how to react if someone around you is showing signs of a stroke.

It seems so easy to learn these letters, but I have to admit with as much volunteering that I’ve done since my heart attack for local associations, I’ve seen F.A.S.T. time and time again, and I still have to read the descriptions and reminders. This month, I am making it a point to memorize and learn this acronym as well as I know the signs and symptoms of a heart attack!

What additional steps are you taking this month to become more aware of stroke and stroke prevention during Stroke Awareness Month?

This post was sponsored by Omron. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

For the past few weeks, I have been regularly checking my blood pressure in the convenience of my home with the Omron EVOLV.

Thankfully, my blood pressure has been normal with only one reading being considered “Hypertension Stage 1” on the Omron Connect app because my diastolic reading was 80mmHg while my systolic reading was still below 120mmHg. This didn’t worry me too much since I am on medicine to keep my blood pressure lowered, and I do have regular doctor visits. However, it is enough to keep me in check and remind me to continue practicing a heart healthy lifestyle.

March was National Nutrition Month, and now that April has begun, I am continuing the practice of eating healthy by incorporating lots of vegetables into my diet – daily, if I can. Many of my meals consist of salad and grilled chicken, and while many think this is boring, I really do not get tired of it because I enjoy the fresh taste of the vegetables and the chicken so much that I actually crave it! One change that I have made in the past month or so (because my cardiologist said my blood work showed I was a little dehydrated) is that I have been trying to drink more water rather than fruity sports drinks, which I would keep with me so as not to unexpectedly let my blood sugar dip since I have Type 2 Diabetes, as well. But I think I am at a good place now with my eating schedule and my water intake so I’m no longer craving the fruity sports drinks, and it doesn’t seem to be affecting my blood sugar at all!

I’m trying to make healthier snack and munchie choices, too, when I’m at home. For example, right now, my refrigerator has a bag of grapes and a bag of carrot sticks in it. If that’s all I offer myself then that’s all I can want, right?

Does anyone have any other healthy snack recommendations?

Getting in exercise is difficult for me sometimes because of my work schedule, but I do have a one mile walk from the parking lot to my office each morning and then again back to my car in the evening. I can’t stand this walk, but all of my doctors say it’s good for me, and I know it’s good for me. I’m trying to turn this downside of my day into a plus by smiling and thinking happy thoughts during this walk to make it more pleasant and release some endorphins during the walk. Occasionally someone will drive by in a golf cart and offer me a lift, and I take it…because it is hot in Florida…and I know I will get my steps in somewhere else that day! Don’t judge me! LOL!

What are you doing to get in your exercise or your steps?

I hope I can keep up these small tweaks to my heart healthy lifestyle and maybe even come up with a few more!

Taking care of your heart and your body certainly feels good and inspires you to keep going. I’m a true testament that you only have one heart (and I only have 80% of mine) so you better make it count! In fact, Omron’s mission is Going for Zero – zero heart attacks and strokes. I definitely believe this is possible with more education and awareness, if everyone works towards prevention with the right lifestyle choices and early intervention!

This post was sponsored by Omron. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

I took the “Going for Zero Pledge”, and you can do it, too, by clicking on this link Going for Zero!

What is Going for Zero? It is Omron Healthcare‘s company mission – to eliminate heart attacks and strokes. One way they are doing this is through new heart health technologies like the Omron EVOLV, which is a portable, wireless upper-arm blood pressure monitor.

This device is clinically validated for accuracy and has received FDA clearance. It is a one-piece monitor that fits easily over your upper arm with no tubes, wires, or tabletop unit.

It easily syncs to your smartphone via Bluetooth technology and with the Omron Connect App (free) that stores, tracks, and shares your data. The easier and more convenient it is to record and track your blood pressure, the more people will do it and be aware of their heart health, thus leading to healthier individuals. Therefore eliminating heart attacks and strokes, right!? It’s one step in the right direction for a healthier YOU!

As many of you may already be aware, the American Heart Association announced new guidelines for high blood pressure last fall, which lowered the threshold for hypertension from 140/90 mmHg to 130/80 mmHG. This means that it is even more important now to be aware of your blood pressure, especially if you were at risk of being hypertensive before. What better way to monitor your blood pressure than the comfort of your own home. I don’t know if you’re like me, but I used to get white coat effect anytime I went to a doctor appointment, which caused my blood pressure readings to be high and inaccurate. The reasons for this were that I would have anxiety about my doctor visit, and I would be overwhelmed by the office in general. If you can take the readings in your own home, then you won’t have this issue because you will be doing it at your own time when you are most comfortable. You will get more accurate readings, and you can take them more often so you can keep a record of your readings, which you can then email to a family member, friend, or your doctor.

As a heart attack survivor, I am very aware of my blood pressure and keep track of it regularly because I know how important a healthy reading is. Even though I am on blood pressure medicine since my heart attack, I still keep track of it.

For the next 90 days, I will be reporting back to you to let you know how I’m doing with my new Omron EVOLV blood pressure monitor and any key learnings I find along the way. Please let me know if you take the Going for Zero Pledge! I’d love to hear from you!

As a survivor, I want nothing more than to get everyone as heart healthy as possible so no one has to go through what I went through.